Holley Wrestler Quinton Murphy Sets State Record For Wins

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Section V teams and wrestlers led the way in the Niagara Frontier Wrestling Officials Association meet which wrapped up Saturday at Niagara County Community College in Sanborn.

Quinton Murphy of Holley set a New York State record for wins when he scored a technical fall, 18-2 in 5:56, over Dan Reagan of Lewiston-Porter at 138 pounds. He broke the mark of 275 wins by Cody Ruggirello of IX-Valley Central.

Webster Schroeder took the team title with 183.5 points. Warsaw was second at 138 and Lew-Port led the Western New York schools, finishing third with 138 points. Niagara Falls was fourth with 136.

Dylan Caruana of Kenmore West won the Ilio DiPaolo Memorial Outstanding Wrestler award. Caruana defeated Alec Dierna of Webster Schroeder via pinfall in 3:54 to win at 126 pounds.

Donny McCoy of Niagara Falls (99 pounds), Anthony Orefice of Lockport (106), Rocco Russo of Frontier (120), Tom Page of Eden (132), Drew Hull of Roy-Hart (145), Tristan Hamner of Medina (152), Nick Mitchell of Frewsburg (170), Niagara-Wheatfield’s Jake Kelly (195) and Max Antone (220), and Brandon Lathrop of Kenmore West (285) were other weight class winners from Section VI schools.

The Jeff Bloom Aggregate Pin Award went to Frank Shomers of Niagara Falls. He had five pins in 14:24. The Tom Broad Overachiever Award went to Brandon Dallavia of Lew-Port.

No. 24 Rutgers Defeats Army 27-10

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Taken from goarmysports.com

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Billy Ashnault recorded a pin at 141 pounds, and three other Rutgers wrestlers posted major decisions to lead the 24th-ranked Scarlet Knights past Army, 27-10, in an EIWA dual match Sunday afternoon at Christl Arena.

Rutgers won the first three bouts to take an early 13-0 lead, but Army responded with three straight wins to trim the Scarlet Knights’ edge to 13-10. RU ended the match by winning the last four bouts, however, to provide the final margin.

“The bottom line is we are in the infancy stages of building something big here,” said Army second-year head coach Joe Heskett. “We have to go out there and we have to fight and we have to execute, but it’s a big picture vision. Every single match, every single experience, every single shot all adds up to that big picture.

“I think patience is the key to a lot of this, but at the same time, you still have go out there and fight your hardest and find a way to win. I think that’s what we’re trying to do. We were close in some of those weight classes, but we’ve got to find a way to win.”

Rutgers (8-1, 4-0 EIWA) jumped out to a 4-0 advantage as Vincent Dellefave took a 12-4 major decision from Army freshman Scott Filbert in the 125-pound bout. Dellefave used a pair of takedowns and near fall to build a 7-2 lead following the first period. After a scoreless second stanza, Dellefave took Filbert to the mat early in the third period and added another three-point near fall to cap the scoring.

Michael DeMarco extended Rutgers’ lead over Army to 7-0 with a 9-7 sudden-victory decision versus Black Knight junior Jordan Thome at 133 pounds. Thome assumed a 5-1 edge after the opening frame thanks to a takedown and near fall. DeMarco drew to within 5-3 following a second-period takedown, and the RU senior forced overtime (7-7) with another takedown late in the final stanza. DeMarco then took Thome to the mat one final time early in the first sudden victory period to earn the win.

Ashnault pinned Army junior 141-pounder Connor Hanafee in 6 minutes, 4 seconds to move Rutgers’ lead to 13-0. Hanafee actually led, 2-1, entering the third period, but Ashnault took him to the mat early in the frame and was able to collect the pin.

Army (3-5, 1-1 EIWA) trimmed Rutgers’ advantage to 13-10 following three consecutive wins. The Black Knights got on the scoreboard in the 149-pound matchup as sophomore Ryan Bilyeu took a 6-2 decision from Luke Rigoglioso. Bilyeu trailed, 1-0, following the first two periods, but exploded in the third frame. The second-year grappler produced a pair of takedowns in the final frame en route to the victory.

Black Knight senior co-captain Jimmy Rafferty made it back-to-back Army victories by posting a 7-1 decision opposite David Seidenberg at 157 pounds. Rafferty authored a pair of takedowns and accumulated over three minutes of riding time during the dominant performance.

Army freshman Cole Gracey earned a 12-3 major decision versus Douglas Hamann in the 165-pound matchup to slice Rutgers’ lead to 13-10. Gracey took a 5-0 lead following the first period, and extended his advantage to 7-0 after two frames. The Army plebe, who finished with nearly five minutes of riding time, continued to pile it on in the third period. He finished the bout with two takedowns, two reversals and one near fall.

Rutgers halted Army’s momentum in the 174-pound matchup as Greg Zannetti took an 11-2 major decision from Army sophomore Ryan Tompkins. Zannetti, who is ranked 16th nationally according to Intermat, took Tompkins to the mat four times in the win. Zannetti’s four-point major decision increased Rutgers’ cushion to 17-10 with three bouts remaining.

The Scarlet Knights’ lead ballooned to 21-10 after Daniel Seidenberg posted a 10-2 major decision opposite Army senior Michael Gorman at 184 pounds. Daniel Rinaldi then clinched the match for Rutgers by recording a 9-3 decision versus Army senior Derek Stanley in the 197-pound bout. Rinaldi’s victory gave the Scarlet Knights an insurmountable 24-10 lead.

Rutgers’ Daniel Hopkins doubled up Black Knight freshman Stephen Snyder, 4-2, in the heavyweight bout to close the contest.

Army returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 14, when the Black Knights travel to New York, N.Y., to face EIWA rival Columbia. The conference contest is slated to get under way at 7 p.m.

Match Notes: Army all-time record versus Rutgers dips to 29-12-1 … Ryan Bilyeu’s collected his first career dual win with his victory at 149 pounds … it marked his first career appearance in a dual match … he improves to 6-8 overall this season … Jimmy Rafferty improves to 17-10 overall this season … his 17 wins lead the team … Rafferty’s six dual wins also top the squad … he now shows a 6-2 mark in dual matches this season.

#24 Rutgers 27, Army 10
125: Vincent Dellefave (R) maj. dec. Scott Filbert, 12-4
133: Michael DeMarco (R) dec. Jordan Thome, 9-7 (sv1)
141: Billy Ashnault (R) pinned Connor Hanafee, 6:04
149: Ryan Bilyeu (A) dec. Luke Rigoglioso, 6-2
157: Jimmy Rafferty (A) dec. David Seidenberg, 7-1
165: Cole Gracey (A) maj. dec. Douglas Hamann, 12-3
174: #16 Greg Zannetti (R) maj. dec. Ryan Tompkins, 11-2
184: Daniel Seidenberg (R) maj. dec. Michael Gorman, 10-2
197: Daniel Rinaldi (R) dec. Derek Stanley, 9-3
285: Daniel Hopkins (R) dec. Stephen Snyder, 4-2

No. 5 Cornell Wrestling Muscles Its Way Past Lehigh 24-12

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ITHACA, N.Y. 

—The No. 5 Big Red wrestling team won seven out of 10 bouts en route to a 24-12 victory over No. 8 Lehigh on Sunday afternoon in Newman Arena. In the premier match of the day at 184 pounds, No. 4 Steve Bosak defeated No. 1 ranked Robert Hamlin, 2-1. Cornell’s 12 point margin of victory was its largest over Lehigh since 1930 when the Big Red defeated the Mountain Hawks, 20-6.The dual began at 125 pounds where freshman Bricker Dixon took on Alex Abreu. Dixon wasted no time putting points on the board with a takedown with only three seconds off the clock. The Big Red freshman rode his opponent out for the remainder of the period. Dixon chose to start the second period down on the mat and quickly escaped. With 45 seconds left in the period, Dixon added another takedown. Dixon later chose an optional start looking to score more points, but Abreu evaded him. Abreu chose to start the third period at neutral and neither wrestler scored again. With 3:06 in riding time, Dixon won a 6-1 decision in his first dual for the Big Red.At 133 pounds, senior Frank Perrelli moved up a weight class to face Mason Beckman. Sixth-ranked at 125 pounds, Perrelli quickly took the lead with a takedown with 12 seconds off the clock. The Big Red wrestler notched 1:01 in riding time before Beckman escaped. Beckman grabbed a takedown of his own 12 seconds later to take a 3-2 lead. Perrelli immediately escaped from his opening down position to start the second period, tying the bout at 3-3. Beckman notched another takedown, from which Perrelli would escape before the period was over. Beckman chose to start the third period at neutral. Perrelli had a little less than a minute of riding time before action resumed. With 1:27 left on the clock, Perrelli grabbed the lead with a takedown. Beckman would escape, but with 1:30 in riding time, Perrelli won a 7-6 decision.In the dual’s first faceoff of two nationally ranked wrestlers, No. 19 Mike Nevinger took on No. 13 Steve Dutton at 141 pounds. With 1:16 left in the first period, Nevinger took a 2-0 lead with a takedown and rode his opponent out for the remainder of the first period. Nevinger chose top to start the second period. He worked the entire two minutes for back points, but was unable to secure the tilt. After failing to escape Nevinger for over three minutes of riding time, Dutton chose neutral to start the third period. With 33 seconds left in the bout, Dutton tied the match with a takedown. Nevinger nearly had a reversal at the end of the bout, but settled for a one point escape. With 2:42 in riding time, Nevinger won a 4-2 decision.At 149 pounds, Chris Villalonga faced Anthony Salupo. Salupo held a 2-1 lead after the first period with a takedown, from which Villalonga escaped. Salupo chose to start the second period at neutral, but neither wrestler was able to score. Villalonga got a quick escape from his opening down position to start the third, tying the bout at 2-2. With neither wrestler having a determining riding time advantage, the match looked to be heading to sudden victory. But with 17 seconds left in the bout, Villalonga notched a takedown to win a 4-2 decision.Top ranked Kyle Dake squared off against Brian Tanen at 157 pounds. Dake held a 13-0 lead after the first period with a takedown and four nearfalls. Tanen chose top to start the second period. Dake quickly escaped and with one more takedown, the two-time NCAA champion won 16-0 by technical fall in 3:45.Cornell held a 17-0 lead heading into the half-time break.At 165 pounds, Marshall Peppelman and Sean Bilodeau were scoreless after the first period. Bilodeau chose to start the second period down and earned the only point with an escape. Peppelman quickly escaped from his opening down position to start the third period to tie the bout at 1-1. Neither wrestler scored again in regulation to send the match into sudden victory. With only two seconds left in sudden victory, Bilodeau earned a takedown to win a 3-1 decision.Freshman Billy George and Nate Brown were scoreless after the first period at 174 pounds. George chose down to start the second period, but he was unable to escape. Brown chose down to start the third period, but he was unable to escape as well. With a 0-0 deadlock after seven minutes, the bout went into sudden victory. With six seconds left in sudden victory, Brown notched a takedown to win a 2-0 decision.In the highly anticipated bout at 184 pounds, junior Bosak and Hamlin were scoreless after the first period. Hamlin chose to start the second down, but was unable to escape until there were only 10 seconds left in the period. Bosak chose to start the third down, but Hamlin opted for an optional start tying the bout at 1-1. The two wrestlers traded shots back and forth, but neither wrestler was able to score. With 1:50 in riding time, Bosak won a 2-1 decision over the top ranked wrestler.At 197 pounds, No. 1 Cam Simaz took on Kadeem Samuels. With only 13 seconds off the clock, Samuels took a quick lead with a takedown. Simaz would escape and earn a takedown of his own midway through the period. Simaz added three more points with a nearfall to take a 6-2 lead into the second period. Simaz chose down to start the second period, but Samuels chose an optional start looking to score. Neither wrestler was able to score for the remainder of the period, and Simaz held a 7-2 advantage. Samuels chose to start the third period at neutral. With 20 seconds left in the bout, Simaz grabbed another takedown. With 1:47 in riding time, the Big Red senior won a 10-2 major decision.At heavyweight, Maciej Jochym took the mat against No. 2 Zach Rey. Jochym and the returning NCAA champion were scoreless after the first period. Rey quickly escaped to start the second period. He caught Jochym for the takedown and quickly turned him to his back. Rey won by fall in 3:46.The Big Red will open Ivy action next weekend as it travels to Penn and Princeton Saturday afternoon. Cornell will then make the quick trip to Binghamton on Sunday for a 5 p.m. bout.

No. 5 Cornell 24, No. 8 Lehigh 12
125: Bricker Dixon (Cornell) dec.  Alex Abreu (Lehigh), 6-1 (Cornell 3, Lehigh 0)
133: No. 6 Frank Perrelli (Cornell) dec. Mason Beckman (Lehigh), 7-6 (Cornell 6, Lehigh 0)
141: No. 19 Mike Nevinger (Cornell) dec. No. 13 Steve Dutton (Lehigh),  4-2 (Cornell 9, Lehigh 0)
149: Chris Villalonga (Cornell) dec. Anthony Salupo (Lehigh), 4-2 (Cornell 12, Lehigh 0)
157: No. 1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) tech fall Brian Tanen (Lehigh), 16-0 (3:45) (Cornell 17, Lehigh 0)
165: Sean Bilodeau (Lehigh) dec. Marshall Peppelman (Cornell), 3-1 SV (Cornell 17, Lehigh 3)
174: Nate Brown (Lehigh) dec. Billy George (Cornell), 2-0 SV (Cornell 17, Lehigh 6)
184: No. 4 Steve Bosak (Cornell) dec. No. 1 Robert Hamlin (Lehigh), 2-1 (Cornell 20, Lehigh 6)
197: No. 1 Cam Simaz (Cornell) maj. dec. Kadeem Samuels (Lehigh), 10-2 (Cornell 24, Lehigh 6)
HWT: No. 2 Zach Rey (Lehigh) win by fall Maciej Jochym, 3:46 (Cornell 24, Lehigh 12)

Arujau Returns to New York to Wrestle for the Big Red

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By Betsy Veysman

Nick Arujau is back to the state where he made a name for himself on the wrestling mat.   After also considering Penn, the Syosset native will join the Cornell squad on Jan 23, as second semester classes begin.

The three-time state champion registered a 23-8 record as a true freshman at American University during the 2010-11 campaign at 125 pounds, but decided to make a move from the Washington, DC based school.

“I didn’t really fit in there very well,” he said.  “I thought it was time for a change.  I really wanted an Ivy League education along with a great wrestling program.  After my official visit, I knew Cornell was where I wanted to be.”

Although his debut in a Big Red singlet won’t be for a few weeks, he has been preparing for quite some time.  He moved to Ithaca in August and has trained with the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club while taking classes at a local college.  He has spent considerable time working out with 2009 NCAA champion Troy Nickerson and four-year Big Red starter Corey Manson while also being coached by three-time All-American Mack Lewnes.

“They have really been helping me out, fixing my mistakes,” Arujau said.  “One of the big differences between last year and this year is the one-on-one attention I’ve been getting.“

According to Arujau, this attention has helped him improve in other ways as well.

“I think the biggest thing I’ve picked up this year is discipline,” he said.  “I follow my diet better and I’m just more disciplined in general.  I also lift hard, which isn’t something I did a lot of in the past.“

Torn ligaments in his fingers kept him out of the first few tournaments of the season, but he made a strong debut at the Nittany Lion Open in December, taking second place at 133 pounds behind Virginia Tech’s Devin Carter, the nation’s 3rd ranked grappler.  During his run in State College, Arujau went 4-1.

“It was good to get on the mat again,” he said. “I was kind of nervous wrestling at 133 for the first time because I wasn’t sure if I was big enough for the weight.  But I went out hard and it worked out in the end.”

This past weekend, Arujau earned fifth place at one of college wrestling’s most challenging in-season events, the Southern Scuffle.   After pinning #19 Garrett Drucker in the second round, Arujua lost a 12-10 battle to eventual champion Chris Dardanes of Minnesota in a match he led early.

“I was upset at myself for losing the big lead I had going into the second period in the semifinals,” he said.  “But it’s a plus in a way because I now know that I need to work more on my conditioning.  I gave up a bunch of stalling points. I’m hoping to learn from it and move on to improve.”

Arujau finished the tournament strong in the fifth place bout with a decision over #20 Aaron Kalil of Navy.

“Overall I thought it was a great experience for me,” he said.  “I felt great at 133.  I was actually under weight on both days.”

Now, Arujau must wait for the start of the second semester to get his opportunity to join the five-time defending EIWA champions.   Joe Stanzione manned the 133 spot for the Big Red in the opening season dual against Minnesota but has since moved up to 141 pounds.  Freshman Nik Pena has taken the starting role and has recorded a 9-7 mark in his rookie year.   Arujau is excited for his opportunity, at whatever weight is needed.

“I can’t wait,” he said.  “I’m really excited for a chance to wrestle for Cornell.  I think I made the perfect decision. I’ve already made vast improvements in my wrestling and I’m going to get an Ivy education.  In my eyes, there’s nothing better.”

California Youth Stars Travel East for January 8 Big Red Kickoff Event in Ithaca

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By Betsy Veysman

When the organizers of the NYWAY Big Red Kickoff event said that fans would be treated to some incredible young talent, they weren’t just talking about local grapplers.  Groups from several states, including 34 wrestlers from California, will supply some extra star power to the tournament, which will take place January 8 on the campus of Cornell University.

“We’re bringing a really strong team made up of most of our best kids,” said Ernie Ciaccio, the Director of SCWAY, who is leading the trip.  “Pretty much everyone on the team is a state champ or a high state placer and they have done well at national events.”

Indeed they have.   A partial roster provided by Ciaccio shows a plethora of champions and placers at Tulsa Nationals, Reno Worlds, the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff Classic (aka “The Freak Show”) and California States.  The list also has many other impressive credentials. Here is a sample of just a few of the many standouts (resumes are not all inclusive):

  •  Jaron Chavez, earned the 95-pound title at the Southwest Kickoff Classic and has taken California gold.  The Brentwood native has finished in the top four at Tulsa Nationals on at least three occasions and also was the runner up at Reno Nationals twice. Chavez was a regional and national champion in Greco and a multi-time All-American in freestyle.
  • Navonte Demison, a California Elementary State Champ and Most Outstanding Wrestler recipient also was second at Reno Worlds in 2010 and 2011.  He also took third at Reno on multiple occasions and was a TOC champion.  The Bakersfield native is one of the very few wrestlers to have beaten Cade Olivas, the 11th ranked Junior High wrestler in the country according to Intermat.  According to Ciaccio, Olivas is unable to compete because of an injury.
  • Ryan Reyes earned the Cliff Keen Trinity Award at 67 pounds after winning the Cliff Keen Kickoff Classic, Tulsa Nationals and Reno Worlds in 2009.  He also placed in the top four at Tulsa in 2010 and 2011 and finished in the top 3 at the Reno Worlds four times. The Fresno native also is a California State champion.
  • Jake Ryan, who wrestles with the Oakdale Wrestling Club, has been a California State winner as well as a high placer several times at prestigious events such as Tulsa Nationals and Reno Worlds.
  • Zander Silva of Alta Loma won the 85-pound title at the Southwest Kickoff Classic as well as multiple California state crowns.  He also captured fifth at Reno Worlds and third at Junior Mid Cals while wrestling with USA Pounders Wrestling Club.

Both Chavez and Ryan captured titles, at 95 and 120 pounds respectively, at the Junior Mid Cals in Gilroy, California this past November, an event attended by several of the New York wrestlers who will be competing on January 8.

Now, according to Ciaccio, it’s his squad’s turn to come East. “We saw a lot of the tough New York kids at Gilroy a few months ago.  They might not have known what to expect when they stepped off the plane, but they showed great resilience and the ability to adapt.  They did really well at the Junior Mid Cals, with several champions and other finalists.  The way they wrestled shows you a lot.”

Before the competitors from the Golden State get on the mat in Ithaca, they have some other things to attend to first.  Ciaccio said the group will fly into New York City and spend some time in the Big Apple before going to Cumberland, Pennsylvania for a tournament.  They then will drive to Western New York for the Big Red Kickoff Classic.

“We’re all really excited,” he said. “Part of the spirit of the trip is to allow the kids to see different parts of the East Coast.  They’ll get a taste of the city, Pennsylvania and upstate New York.  We also want the kids to experience some great Northeast wrestling.  We know there’s lots of talent in that area and we’d like our kids to get exposure to it.”

And, as a bonus, they will also get a taste of some of the nation’s best college wrestling.  In between the morning and afternoon sessions of the Big Red Kickoff Classic, the fourth-ranked Cornell squad will take on Lehigh in a clash of highly ranked teams.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to feel connected to college programs,” Ciaccio said. “We’re putting the kids in an environment where they see the highest level of folkstyle wrestling.  Hopefully, they have the ambitions and dreams of getting there someday and wrestling for a team like the ones they’ll see.”

The talent is certainly there.

MYWAY Sending Michigan All-Stars to NY for Big Red Kickoff

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BY JEFF CHANEY

12/30 – Louie Johnson is glad to take a team and support New York Wrestling Association of Youth Wrestlers, the new youth wrestling organization in the state of New York.

But the coach also wants to win and show where some of the top youth wrestlers in the state of Michigan stand.
Johnson will be taking 18 Michigan youth wrestlers to the Big Red Kickoff Tournament at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY January 8.

It’s NYWAY’s (New York Wrestling Assocation for Youth) first big event in the association’s first year.

“It’s great that we can take some of the best kids of Michigan to New York and support New York, but here is the way I look at it, you always want to win,” Johnson said. “And hopefully in the future they can reciprocate and come here and support us. The more kids we can get from other states to come here and wrestle will help get our kids better.”

The tournament will be an individual tournament that will have team scoring, allowing teams and states to win a team title.

The tournament will be run in two sessions, a morning and evening session, with Cornell and Lehigh taking to the mat between sessions to give the wrestlers and fans in attendance a look at college wrestling.

“This is our first shot at it, and we are hoping for 400 kids,” said NYWAY president Clint Wattenberg, who is a former Cornell All-American from California. “What I do know is we have 1,500 registered NYWAY athletes, and 60 teams, and we’re hoping for a good representation from our state.”

Cost to attend is $20, and includes a ticket to the Cornell/Lehigh match.

“Hopefully it’s a big kickoff,” Wattenberg said. “We have Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and Maryland also represented, so it should be a good tournament and hopefully will drive some registration in NYWAY and build on our 1,500 strong.”

The Michigan team will consist of Austin Boone at 70 pounds, Sam Russel, Alec Rees, Davin Gowen at 80, Lucas Hall at 85, Alex Hrisopoulos at 90, Maxwell Johnson at 95, Foster Karmon and Zeth Dean at 101, Alex Martinez at 108, Devin Schroder at 115, Joel Rees at 122, Steven Garza at 129, Connor Chaney at 136, Kyle Johnson at 143, Devon Pingel and Max Dean at 160 and Tanner Thomas at heavyweight.

MYWAY president Dave Dean, who established the first state youth wrestling association in Michigan 11 years ago, is pleased that his state will be sending a team to New York to help them grow like his has the past decade.

“I’m pleased we are sending a MYWAY team to have an experience and support the new association,” Dean said. “It should be a great experience for them.”

New York is 22nd state that will now have a folkstyle association.

“We weren’t thinking we would be a national movement, but we came to realize that the same needs we had in Michigan were the same needs states had all over the country,” Dean said. “As we have developed systems to improve the sport, other states have adopted them.”

Youth and College Stars Take the Mat January 8 at Cornell

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By Betsy Veysman

Wrestling fans will get a unique opportunity to see top-notch talent ranging from elementary school through college on January 8 at Cornell University as both the NYWAY Big Red Kickoff Tournament and a dual meet between two top 15 NCAA programs, Cornell and Lehigh, will take place at Bartels Hall in Newman Arena.

“I’m not sure where else you would get a chance to see future greats and current greats wrestle on the same day at the same place,” said Cornell head coach Rob Koll.  “It’s a great way for people to see great wrestling and it’s also a great way for us to continue to build our Cornell fan base.”

The action will begin at 9 a.m. with Session I of the NYWAY Big Red Kickoff Tournament.  The event will feature star youth grapplers from New York, California, Michigan, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, among others, in five age groups ranging from 6 and under to the highest group, the 13/14-year old bracket.

In order to compete, wrestlers must preregister by January 6 at 5 p.m. at www.nyway.org.  The registration fee includes a ticket to the Big Red-Lehigh dual. All participants must have a paid NYWAY membership.

NYWAY State President Clint Wattenberg is excited about the event, which serves as the official NYWAY kickoff.  The organization has already amassed over 1450 members in just six months of operation.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Wattenberg said. “We will be able to bring a great product to kids from around the state and the country.  It allows the kids to also be involved in an incredible Cornell dual.  It will bring youth and college wrestling together to support both levels of the sport.”

The college competition will begin at 1 p.m., after the first session of the youth tournament has been completed.  The center mat will be set up for the battle between fourth-ranked Cornell and 12th ranked Lehigh.  The East Coast rivals have had close matchups the past two campaigns, while the Big Red has captured the past five EIWA titles, with the Mountain Hawks placing second in two of those years.

Eleven ranked wrestlers will compete, with three bouts pitting nationally ranked grapplers against each other.  At 141, a pair of multi-time New York state champions, #8 Stephen Dutton and #15 Mike Nevinger, will face off.  At 184, two All-Americans, #1 Robert Hamlin and #4 Steve Bosak, will compete and at 197, #1 Cam Simaz will take on #8 Joe Kennedy.  Spectators will also get a chance to watch two 2011 NCAA Champions, 157-pounder Kyle Dake of Cornell and heavyweight Zach Rey of Lehigh. (Intermat rankings as of December 29)

“It’s a great opportunity to see two of the top teams on the East Coast,” Koll said. “With the fans from the youth tournament and the local fans, we expect a sellout. A big turnout would be great, especially with the college students out of town on break.”

As is customary, the Cornell wrestling team will conduct an autograph session following the dual meet, after which the Big Red Kickoff tournament will run to its conclusion. (Session II is slated to start at approximately 4 p.m.).  First through fourth place finishers will earn awards.

“We’re really excited to package great wrestling for fans of the sport,” Koll said. “We are trying to introduce young wrestlers to Cornell wrestling and cultivate future Cornell wrestlers.  Years ago we ran an AAU tournament here and I think even 10 or 15 years later, people came up to me saying that they were there when they were in elementary school and it introduced them to Cornell wrestling.   That’s what we’re hoping for.”

As for NYWAY, Wattenberg is hoping the tournament will allow the organization to continue its growth and its mission of supporting youth folkstyle development.

“We’ve had a great start, especially since we haven’t had a tournament yet, which is what typically drives membership,” he said.  “We’ve had motivated individuals around the state get things off the ground.   We’re pleased about what has happened so far, but we’re missing some downstate representation and are looking to improve that.”

Wattenberg concluded by encouraging anyone with input or interest in getting involved to contact him through the www.nyway.org website or at clintwattenberg@nyway.org.

For more information on the January 8 events, see http://www.nyway.org.

New York Wrestlers Anderson and Heberlein Look Forward to Big Red Kickoff Classic

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By Betsy Veysman

This past November, a group of wrestlers representing NYWAY traveled to California with Coach Mike LaPorte to compete with some of the best the Golden State has to offer in both a duals tournament and the Junior Mid Cals individual competition.

On January 8, the NYWAY wrestlers will return the favor, welcoming many of those West Coast grapplers as well as other top competitors from all over the country to New York for the Big Red Kickoff event held in Bartels Hall on the campus of Cornell University.  In between the morning and afternoon sessions, the fourth-ranked Big Red wrestling team will take on Lehigh in a battle of NCAA powerhouses.

“It is such a fantastic opportunity for the kids,” LaPorte said.  “The kids will have to step up their game knowing they will be wrestling in front of Cornell wrestlers on the same stage.  What a great vehicle to get kids wrapped up in the sport.”

Sixth grader Orion Anderson of Schuylerville and seventh grader Dane Heberlein of Darien, members of the NYWAY contingent that went to California, both won individual crowns when they competed out West. The two are ready to test themselves again at the Big Red Kickoff.

 Orion Anderson

Anderson’s title at 70 pounds at the Junior Mid Cals capped off an undefeated weekend in which he was voted the NYWAY Most Valuable Wrestler by his teammates.

“It was really cool that the team voted for me,” he said. “I was really happy.”

After cruising through the first several rounds of the tournament, Anderson defeated California USA Wrestling Triple Crown Winner Matthew Olguin of Team Smackdown in the finals by the score of 3-1.

“The competition was really good but that was my toughest match,” Anderson said. “I was able to get a takedown in the second period which was the difference.”

“Orion performed extremely well,” LaPorte said. “He was the only New York wrestler to go undefeated over the two days.  In the finals, he beat a very highly regarded kid.  People there were saying his opponent would just dominate everyone in the weight class, but Orion wrestled a special match.  I was proud to be in his corner.”

The Schuylerville native is very familiar with success.  He was the Eastern National Champion in both 2008 and 2009 as well as a New York State champion in multiple styles.

Wrestling seems to be in his blood.  His father, Bucky, competed in the sport and currently runs the Barn Brawlers Club where Orion and many area wrestlers, from elementary school through college, train.  His sister Sarah, currently a wrestler at King College in Tennessee, was a two-time sectional champion and state qualifier in New York.

Anderson believes he is at his best in neutral and he says his favorite takedown is the throw by.   He plays football as well, but trains year round in wrestling.  He has this in common with Heberlein, who wrestles all 12 months despite playing football and baseball.

 Dane Heberlein

Heberlein rolled through the 75-pound bracket at the Junior Mid Cals, winning his first two matches by first period pin (8 seconds and 30 seconds) to earn a rematch with Chase Zollman of Poway Elite, who defeated Heberlein by a point the previous day in the dual tournament.

“I was hungry to wrestle him again because I knew I didn’t wrestle my best,” he said.  “It was a close match both times but I think I was more aggressive and that’s why I won.”

He then earned the top spot on the podium with a 16-1 technical fall in the finals.  His performance earned him the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler (MOW) award for the lightweights.

“I didn’t really expect it [MOW],” he said. “It was a huge rush when I heard I got it.”

“Dane deserved it,” La Porte added. “He was dominant.”

It’s what Heberlein had in mind when he began wrestling at age six.  He said a friend introduced him to the sport because “I wanted the trophies.”  He certainly has quite a few medals now.  The two-time New York folkstyle state champion has also placed high in a number of other events, including the Ohio Tournament of Champions and the Cliff Keen Eastern Worlds.

The seventh grader, who made the varsity team at his school but has not been able to wrestle because he doesn’t meet the state minimum weight requirement of 91 pounds, admires former Arizona State NCAA Champion Anthony Robles because of the way he overcame so much to be so successful.

Heberlein showed similar resiliency when he dropped his first round match at the Ohio Tournament of Champions.  In a very large bracket, he bounced back with 12 straight wins in one day to take third.

 The Common Ground

Besides Robles, Heberlein lists Cornell’s Kyle Dake as a grappler he loves to watch, saying he “is great at riding and always understands the right things to do on the mat.”

Anderson agrees.  “I really like to watch Kyle Dake,” he said. “I like his stance and he wins the big matches.”

Seeing Dake and his Big Red teammates compete between sessions of the Big Red Kickoff is something both Heberlein and Anderson are awaiting.

“I’m really excited to wrestle in the tournament but I’m also so excited to watch the dual meet,” Heberlein said.  “I’ll get to see Dake and so many other great wrestlers.”

“I met Kyle Dake at the Hoosick Falls Clinic and I am excited to see him again with all the other college wrestlers,” Anderson added.  “College scrambles are fun to watch.”

As for their own goals on January 8, Heberlein and Anderson are thinking along the same lines.

“My goal is to win every match,” Anderson said.

Heberlein added, “I don’t really worry about who is in the bracket.  I just want to worry about myself and finish first.”

Hopefully, there is room left in those trophy cases.